Quicksand
by smile1
Summary: A Bash/Mary one piece. Takes place at the end of 1x04, a stolen moment between Bash & Mary. "Will you be playing nurse?" She blushed, but she took it from him. After all, it was him. If she wasn't a queen and didn't have to think of her reputation, but if she had just been a girl who fancied a boy, then she could've stayed and talked through the night. But this would have to do.


**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the shows _Reign. _Thus, I also don't own any of the characters. All I own is my imagination and the laptop I wrote this on.**

**A/N: **I never thought I would be back to writing another piece of fan-fiction this quickly, but I couldn't stay away. I am as obsessed as ever with _Reign _and sincerely hope that more people will start to love the show as much as I do. I want it to stick around. This story takes place after episode 1x04, perhaps maybe at the very end. A stolen moment between Bash and Mary. I had to get this out and I did my best to keep it as in character as I could. I hope you'll enjoy reading this as much as I enjoy reading the Bash/Mary (Mash?) stories already on here. :)

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**Quicksand**

_In his room is where I poured my heart into his._

Mary padded down the corridor, her feet bare and hair down. It was late, a couple of hours past evening's fall, but after everything, she had felt a need to retreat into her bedroom and found temporary peacefulness in her night routine. She had dragged it out, soaking in a hot bath until she had pruned, although it didn't rid her of all the negative feelings. She had combed out her hair herself and had sat on her bed after having finally settled on a royal blue nightgown.

She was comfortable, and free of Tomas.

Unable to quiet her mind, she contemplated visiting Francis, but halfway down the hallway she changed route. There was someone she had meant to visit ever since he came back wounded, but she had been afraid to. To see what damage she had done, and because she hadn't taken Tomas' threats lightly.

Her hand still ached and showed the faintest of bruises, keeping it at her side and out of sight as she knocked on the door that was left open slightly.

"Sebastian," she asked for him before pushing the door open further and hesitatingly taking a step to stand in its doorway.

A few candles and the moonlight slithering in through the window provided her with enough light to spot the dark-haired man, his blue eyes temporarily widening at her presence before instantly softening.

"Your Grace, Mary," Sebastian corrected himself, unable to not subtly take her in as she stood there, the light becoming her and accentuating her soft lines.

He saw the things others foolishly didn't take the time for. How she leaned slightly against the frame, her body turned just enough so she could leave just as suddenly as she had appeared. And how the gown she wore was a little too loose on her and bared one of her shoulders, and how she looked at him from beneath her lashes, somewhere between coy and shy. She acted like she didn't belong in his bedroom by herself, but he admired how, despite that, she did so anyway.

_Her bare feet on his cold floor. It was the beginning of something._

"I hope it's not too late to come and see you," Mary said the words as a formality, knowing from the mischievous glint in his eyes that he thought it the most ridiculous thing she had ever said. "I can imagine that today has tired you," she kept up the charade for a little longer.

"I fear that with all the rest I've been getting, I will never sleep again. Which is a shame as my dreams tend to make the time spent asleep worth it."

Sebastian revealed a roguish smile and Mary quickly averted her eyes. "Well, I for one will rest easily. It's been a while since I have," she offered up the information freely, looking back over at him and taking in his position on the bed.

He was sitting up with his shirt hanging completely open to expose the bandage that hung from his torso still half unwrapped.

She narrowed her eyes and took a few steps towards the bed. "You were instructed by Nostradamus to remain lying down."

Sebastian dropped his gaze down to the task she had interrupted. "If I don't change the bandages, infection might spread... and since I've had quite enough of Nostradamus' hands on me, you can see why I'm in this predicament."

Mary sighed. "You could've asked for anybody else's help." She now stood directly beside him, inspecting the unfinished work. "Why is it that you can never simply do as you're told?"

Sebastian chuckled, disguising the pain it caused the best he could. "Apparently I don't know my place, unlike a raven-haired queen masquerading as a nurse." He moved his leg as she sat down before him on the bed, obviously not thinking twice about it. Otherwise she wouldn't have.

She glanced up at him, tucking loose strands of hair behind her ears before reaching for the loose pieces of bandages. "I've had some training at the convent."

"For lack of activities I assume."

"Oh, hush," she responded good naturedly while leaning into him some more. "Just sit still."

"As you wish, Your Grace."

She threw him another look and he only returned it with an amused smile. She returned her focus to the task at hand and began wrapping the rest of the bandages around him, her touch soft and gentle. _And he found pleasure in the fact that it matched what he had imagined._ So he held his breath, releasing it only when her hands were no longer on him.

"I'm no Nostradamus, but..."

He licked his lips, something she caught from the corner of her eyes and it left her without words for a few precious seconds. "Thank you," he told her, following her fingers as they buttoned up his shirt, noticing the hand Tomas had gripped so tightly only hours ago.

Mary saw him looking for pulled her hand back quickly, placing it behind her. "It's fine, Sebastian. I'm fine," she attempted to reassure him. "I suppose I was the lucky one... And I've expressed my gratitude to Francis, but not yet to you." She met his eyes, appreciating how he stayed quiet as if he knew there was more for her to get out.

He was a good listener, an attentive one. His beautiful blue eyes without judgment as he sat across from her.

"Bash, you are hurt and still you were by Francis' side, by my side to extract me from an impossible situation. So... thank you."

Sebastian bowed his head and watched as she pulled her leg up onto the bed, joining the other. "You're making yourself comfortable," he observed in a joking manner.

Although for Mary it came as a sudden realization. _Like coming up from having been under_. And what she saw, was what others would if they happened on the two of them. The charming and handsome, but nonetheless bastard son of the king and the future queen of France, promised to the legitimate son, sitting on Sebastian's bed, where many women must've been in much the same state as enthrallment as she found herself around him. Only they had the freedom to pursue even the silliest of _fantasies_.

Yet she knew him. Sebastian had always been kind to her and she had told Francis that she would visit him. It wasn't as if Francis was a 100 percent sure and honest all the time.

Mary moved as if to get up, but she had already changed her mind when Sebastian reached over, taking a hold of her hand to stop her from leaving. _Not yet._

He moaned in pain of the sudden movement, squeezing her hand and Mary gasped, her former thoughts forgotten as worry creased her brow. Her free hand landed lightly on his side, steadying him as she gently helped back into a straighter sitting position."Why is it that ever since I've met you, you've always had some sort of injury," she mused out loud, a faint smile gracing her features.

"I must have something to prove." Sebastian placed his hand on hers, exchanging a look with her before she removed her hand.

He took a shallow breath, aware that she was taking him in.

"Surely you can gain your many suitors without the theatrics and the need to inflict pain onto yourself."

He raised an eyebrow. "Do I have many suitors? Have you been keeping count? Surely it is of no interest to you." _The playfulness was giving way to something else._

Mary looked off, towards the window, doing a mediocre job at concealing her embarrassment from him. "When it involves one of my ladies in waiting," she began tentatively.

"Are we speaking of the fair Lola?" Sebastian chuckled. "I won't deny that she's pretty and sweet, I suppose, but out of respect for you I would never pursue her, or any of your friends. That's what they are, aren't they?"

Mary nodded, looking at him as he went on. "And in regard to your accusation…" He took joy in the guilt-stricken look that passed over her features. "You're the only woman I've had on my bed for… let's say, quite a while. Can it be that my rugged good looks are losing their appeal?"

"Perhaps," Mary replied, after which she bit her lip, even though she couldn't keep the laughter from escaping. She shifted and her gown slipped further down her shoulder. "I'm glad I'm not leaving France. This castle," she spontaneously confessed to him.

"And Francis," Sebastian added."

She nodded. "Of course."

"And what about me, Your Grace?" he inquired boldly.

"Back to you again, are we?" She bit her lip again in a way that he felt in every bone and nerve of his body. She tilted her head, her hair falling free from behind her ears. "I enjoy your company very much, Bash."

He bowed his head once. "As do I yours. Especially when I haven't seen you as untroubled as you appear to be now in quite a number of days." A shadow passed over his face.

"What is it?" she asked, leaning into him as if it came naturally to her.

"That," Sebastian nodded at her hand, "should've never happened. A king should be good to his queen." He reached for her hand and she let him take it in his. "A man should be good to the woman he chooses to love."

"How idealistic."

"You don't believe that?"

"I did before I experienced what I have," she told him. "But over time my view has been tainted…" She looked up at him thoughtfully. "But you've always had an open heart. _A better heart than most_."

She could only smile when she pressed her knuckles against his lips, _the only reaction he could act out_.

A warm feeling rushed through her, rattling her bones and leaving her without breath. As he released her hand, she moved it upwards, brushing her fingertips over his hair swiftly. As he fingers touched the last strands, she breathed his name. "Bash."

_Their gazes both held something wistful._

"I wish you a good night," she said as her feet found the cold floor and she got up. "Promise me you'll rest. Properly. At least for a few more days."

"Will you be playing nurse?"

She blushed, but she took it from him. After all, it was him. "I will check up on your regularly."

"Then, you've forced my hand."

"Good," she said from where she now stood, lingering.

If she wasn't a queen and didn't have to think of her reputation, but if she had just been a girl who fancied a boy, then she could've stayed and talked through the night.

But this would have to do. And maybe it would be enough. _Maybe._

Mary stepped out into the hallway, heading for her own bed while Sebastian lied down in his.

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**Please review? **Be kind and leave behind a review? It is the only way I can continue to improve. Tell me what you liked about this story? What would you maybe like to see me write next? I'm always open to suggestions. And what do you think we'll see in episode 1x05 Mash wise? Share share share! I'm totally fangirling over this show and it has been a while since I've done it to this degree. :) _As for the people who read, reviewed, favorited and followed my other Mash story, it is much appreciated and they made me feel confident about posting a second one. So, thank you so much! Until the next time. :)_


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